IT was late October 1963 - Kennedy's assassination was still a month away and of lesser significance, I was heading towards Highfield Road, recovering from a hang-over.

I had readily agreed to travel to Coventry that Saturday morning with a group of friends in my new second-hand car, because the alternative did not appeal. My girlfriend had talked about spending the weekend cleaning it but I reasoned, with logic, it would be dirty again by the following week. We could clean it then. I did not want to spend my weekend off cleaning a car.

Coventry were Third Division leaders, who were being launched on a Sky Blue resurrection under the leadership of Jimmy Hill with the Sky Blue train and the Sky Blue Song.

We took our places in the lower terraces at one end of the ground and, as I recall, the dug-out and benches for the manager and physio were to our left, in front of the main stand.

In those days there was no need for segregation although my pal Jim, who admitted his yellow streak was twice as wide as his backbone, was a little concerned if we indulged in anything more than distinctly low-profile clapping when Watford achieved any success.

There were 25,910 in the ground that day. Watford were one of the better sides in the division, gelling together under their new manager Bill McGarry, but they were not in Coventry's class. With goals by Machin and Hudson, City took a two-goal lead and were comfortably in the driving seat.

Jim found solace in the fact because Watford were trailing, we had nothing to cheer about.

The second half started and appeared to be heading for a formality ending with City comfortable winners when the ball was launched from the right-touchline some 50 yards towards the far post.

There, running in, was the man who was to set up a club-record of 21 goals as winger: George Harris. He was something else in the air and when he climbed high above the Coventy right back, he met the ball powerfully and Watford were back in the frame.

We cheered: Jim looked anxiously at the hordes behind us and told me to keep quiet when I pointed at the aforementioned Jimmy Hill looking very animated on the touchline.

Then the ball was worked out to Watford's right on the halfway line. The full back hit it hard and high towards the far post and as it dropped, there was George seemingly 10 feet off the ground, heading firmly down for the equaliser.

We went barmy while Jim assured the stunned faithful behind us that he never would have believed it possible.

Then the ball was hit up towards the far post again and George was in the air. His head met the ball and down towards the goal it went, only for the keeper to make a fine save.

We assured the faithful, who were becoming frustrated, that had George completed a hat-trick, it would have been a travesty.

The two sides met later in the season, at Vicarage Road with Watford one of three sides battling for the two promotion places. It finished a 1-1 draw and on the way out of the terrace, a group of Coventry fans, hearing us express our disappointment at the failure to win, made a point; "When have you ever been a power in this division? City have been up there all season."

We acknowledged he had a point. In the end,. City went up with Crystal Palace and Watford just missed out.

It was a good season for the Hornets but not quite good enough. Within a year I was covering them every week for the local paper and had been doing so ever since.

But I remember fondly the times when you could stand on the terraces and exchange reasonable views and indulge in discussions with the opposition fans without fear.

Jim won't even go to football now.

January 29, 2003 19:30